Evaluating photographic authenticity: How well do ChatGPT 4o and Gemini distinguish between real and AI-generated images?

Abstract As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, differentiating between actual and AI-generated images has become an increasingly difficult task. The present exploratory research looks at the capacity of two leading AI models, ChatGPT and Gemini, to correctly classify genuine vs. synthetic photographs in a variety of categories, including wildlife, portraiture, and abstract art. The present research evaluates the accuracy, mistake rates, and handling of complex visual content of both models, shedding light on their strengths and limits and providing significant insights into their possible uses in combatting visual falsehood.